Badaun: Police have registered a case against four persons, including the owner and an official of Venus Sugar Mill, over alleged illegal trading of sugarcane after the closure of Yadu Sugar Mill, Live Hindustan reported.
The action follows a complaint that sugarcane allocated to farmers in the area was being purchased at lower rates and sold to other mills at higher prices, causing losses to authorised mills and the government.
Rajeev Kumar Singh, secretary of the Cooperative Cane Development Committee, said that after Yadu Sugar Mill in Sujanpur, Bisauli was shut down, the Sugarcane Commissioner had ordered that cane from the region be supplied to mills in other districts.
However, during a visit to the area on the evening of February 25 near Silhari village under Civil Lines police station limits, two local residents were allegedly found buying cane from farmers at reduced rates and loading it onto vehicles.
The men, identified as Mohan, son of Mathura Lal from Anni, and Jitendra Singh, son of Rambharose Singh from Silhari, reportedly told officials that they were collecting cane on behalf of Venus Sugar Mill in Mazhawali, Sambhal. They said the millтАЩs owner and an official were paying cash for the cane.
According to the complaint, cane-loaded trolleys were stopped and taken to the Kunar purchase centre. However, it was alleged that the vehicles were later removed during the night.
The complaint further stated that, in violation of the allocation order, the cane was being diverted and sold to Venus Sugar Mill and possibly other mills at higher rates, leading to losses for the cane society and the government.
Based on the complaint, police have filed a case against Mohan, Jitendra Singh, Anupam Singh, an official of Venus Sugar Mill, and mill owner Atul Kumar on charges including cheating and illegal procurement of sugarcane. Police said an investigation is underway.
